Strange Cults and Utopias of 19th Century AmericaOriginal title: History of American Socialisms

Histories of communal experiments and communities in the United States.

Abstract: Written by the founder of Oneida, John Humphrey Noyes, with the help of A.J. Macdonald's notes, Strange Cults & Utopias of 19th Century America (originally titled History of American Socialisms) is a collection of research on socialist experiments in the United States. Over 60 communities are included from the years 1724 to 1855. Some of these were successful and survived past the publication of this book, while others fell apart. Noyes includes all, whether surviving or dead, to incorporate Macdonald's research and to provide guiding information for future communist leaders. While some communities only merited a single page in the volume, Macdonald attempted to gather information about the origins, principles, goals, strengths and weaknesses of each group. He explores their methods of earning money and sharing the land. Participant communities informed him about their structure, including the necessary trades and occupations among members, the initiation process, and the leadership roles. The religious beliefs of each community are also explored for their impact on community life. Some communities were atheist, while others retained various faiths. The goal of the book is to warn against the factors that led to the failure of these communities, and to point out what was done well. As such, future communities can organize themselves accordingly and improve their chances of creating a better, alternative lifestyle. Macdonald aimed "to help waken dreamers, to guide lost wanderers, to convince skeptics, to reassure the hopeful."

[Abstract by Mia Manns]

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2. Birds-eye View3. Theory of National Experience4. New Harmony5. Inquest on New Harmony6. Yellow Springs Community7. Nashoba8. Seven Epitaphs9. Owen's General Career10. Connecting Links11. Channing's Brook Farm12. Hopedale13. The Religious Communities14. The Northampton Association15. The Skaneateles Community16. Social Architects17. Fundamentals of Socialism18. Literature of Fourierism19. The Personnel of Fourierism 20. The Sylvania Association21. Other Pennsylvania Experiments22. The Volcanic District23. The Clarkson Phalanx24. The Sodus Bay Phalanx25. Other New York Experiments26. The Marlboro Association27. Prairie Home Community28. The Trumbull Phalanx29. The Ohio Phalanx30. The Clermont Phalanx31. The Integral Phalanx32. The Alphdelphia Phalanx33. La Grange Phalanx34. Other Western Experiments35. The Wisconsin Phalanx36. The North American Phalanx37. Life at the North American38. End of the North American 39. Conversion of Brook Farm40. Brook Farm and Fourierism41. Brook Farm and Swedenborgianism42. The End of Brook Farm43. The Spiritualist Communities44. The Brocton Community45. The Shakers46. The Oneida Community47. Review and Results48. Two Schools of Socialism